SXSW 2019 – Thursday

Thursday, March 14, of SXSW festival started with a bang – make that an explosion – as DC’s Priests blew a packed lunchtime crowd away at Mohawk, one of a slew of outdoor venues in downtown Austin’s Red River entertainment district. A mesmerizing set by Philadelphia’s Japanese Breakfast followed. Marlon Sexton, son of Austin guitar hero and Bob Dylan bandmate Charlie Sexton, brought his crew, Marfa Crush, to Cooper’s BBQ downtown followed by rocker Jackie Venson, fresh off her win as Best Guitarist at the Austin Music Awards. Garrett T. Capps of San Antonio put on entertaining set of experimental country – he calls it NASA country – and Meghan Thee Stallion of Houston threw down a ferocious but short set of highly-charged sex raps at Cheer Up Charlies. Phenomenal music all day and all night – that’s what makes SXSW magic. Photos: Michael Coleman